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Pacic Press

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Wendy Marcum

Lars Justinen

Justinen Creative Group

Lea Alexander Greve

At the same time, the prophet’s work, judged by human standards,

shows only slight success. Despite decades of fervent warning and

pleadings, the people for the most part didn’t listen to the messages he

Nevertheless, despite the opposition, Jeremiah could not be bought

or sold; he stood as “a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall”

Jeremiah’s lot in life wasn’t a happy one in many ways. His calling

7

The prophets, according to their calling, were determined protectors

Commandments (Jer. 11:2–6). Micah 3:8 gives one summary of the

cially when people get accustomed to doing evil. Who hasn’t seen how

message of the prophets was to let people see just how bad their evil

was and what the consequences were of not turning away from it. This

The prophets do not mention how God’s Word was revealed to them

or how they heard it. At times God spoke to them directly; other times

the Holy Spirit touched them in dreams or visions or, perhaps, through

a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). However their messages came

We can be glad they did, for their messages have come down to us in

the Bible. In that sense, their words still speak, even today. The question

1 Kings 1 and 1 Kings 2:26. What was the background that led

Jeremiah’s father, was a member of a priestly family that lived at

6.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 407.

The priests were to be the moral and spiritual leaders of the

nation; they had been given important roles that impacted most

every area of the nation’s spiritual life. Some had been faithful to

that task; others abused and violated it in ways that we can’t imag-

ine. As we will soon read in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet had

very strong words to speak against these unfaithful priests, who had

proved unworthy of the responsibilities and calling that they had

Verse 11 says: “Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the L”

from God until the nation was doing exactly what the Lord had told it

not to do. Due to their sin, the Israelites faced one crisis after another,

takes. “The tribes had long suffered grievous wrongs under the oppres-

reign during his apostasy had led him to tax the people heavily and to

require of them much menial service.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and

the Northern Kingdom, King Jeroboam made some terrible spiritual

1 Kings 12:26–31. What should this tell us about how immediate

the country and deported its inhabitants to different parts of his empire

opportunity to turn from their evil ways and be spared the disaster that

sinful? (See vs. 8.)

waters, and as a result, hewed out for themselves broken cisterns that,

The background to the political events that shaped the ministry of

picture of what took place. Though from a human perspective it prob-

ably seemed that no one was in control as these nations battled it out for

ministry, found itself caught up in the military battles between Babylon,

Empire in the late seventh century .., Egypt sought to regain power

605 .., Egypt was crushed and Babylon became the new world power.

Judah, could stabilize the country only by swearing allegiance to the

pen because of their sin, and time and again many of the political and

religious leaders refused to heed the warnings, believing instead what

they wanted to believe, which is that the Lord would spare them. After

and see “if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth,

in justice, and in righteousness” (Jer. 4:2, ESV) as the Lord had com-

manded them. They did not listen to the warning coming from God,

were all right between them and God, when in fact almost nothing was

The depth of their deception can be seen in Jeremiah 7:4 when the

people would take a false comfort in these words, hekhal yhwh hekhal

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reign spanned 640–609 .. He became king at the age of eight, after

errors of past generations, he chose to do right, instead of descend-

Jehoahaz (also known as Shallum) was 23 years old when he suc-

ceeded his father, Josiah, on the throne. His reign lasted only three

months. Pharaoh replaced him with his brother, Jehoiakim, because

taken to Egypt, and there he died. (See 2 Chron. 36:4, 2 Kings 23:31–

done on his own palace, in defiance of the Torah, which was clear about

it comes when we step out of ourselves to benefit those who can really

do nothing for us in return. We see here, again, as we see all through the

Bible, the Lord’s concern for the poor and the helpless, as well as the

most would find it to be very unappealing work, especially because

hear the words of rebuke, might repent and reform, that’s usually not

the case, especially when the rebuke itself is very pointed and strong.

evil” (John 3:19).

Jeremiah 11:18–23. What is going on here? What does some of

In the earliest chapters of Jeremiah, the Lord had warned his servant

that his work as a prophet was not going to be easy. At the time of

his calling, Jeremiah was told that Judah’s princes, kings, priests, and

vail against [him]” (Jer. 1:19), no doubt the warning that most of his

though, didn’t yet know the half of it, and when trials came, he was

people did everything to try to change their situation, including going

to Jerusalem, praying, fasting, putting on sackcloth, and making offer-

even though Jeremiah presented earlier a great example of intercessory

prayer: “O L, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for Your

ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17), in this case the Lord, who knows everything

from beginning to end, is revealing to Jeremiah just how corrupt and

39

cally from Judah, and perhaps even further removed culturally and

vindictive. This, however, is a false understanding, based only on

ity and wants it saved, but He does not force our choice. If we want

to do wrong, even despite His pleas to us, we are free to do so. We

The evils presented here come under a variety of types. There is the

people back. That is, despite all these evils, and more, He was willing

to forgive them, heal them, and even restore them. But if they refused,

ber of those who accept what the prophets preach at the time they are

alive at the time of Noah, we can reasonably assume that the majority

To gain a better understanding of what was going on here, it’s best to

Numbers 21:4–9. What was the symbolism of the bronze serpent

crucial truths are taught from these verses and the symbolism

and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they